Wake Forest hires former SWCC coach

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Lone Tree native Steve Forbes, who began his coaching career at Southwestern Community College in 1989, was announced as the new men’s basketball coach at Wake Forest University on Thursday. Forbes succeeds former Kansas All-American Danny Manning as the Demon Deacons head coach.

Forbes had an overall record of 260-77 (.722) in five years as head coach at East Tennessee State and at three previous community colleges, including three seasons at Southwestern when he succeeded Bill Krejci in 1991. Forbes began his coaching career as an assistant to Krejci in 1989.

East Tennessee State qualified for the NCAA Tournament twice during Forbes’ five years as coach, including this year’s 30-4 team that won the SoCon regular season and tournament championship.

Forbes earned conference coach of the year honors along with the Hugh Durham Award, given to the outstanding mid-major coach in the country.

Forbes’ family includes wife Johnetta and children Elizabeth, Christopher and Johnathon.

“Leaving ETSU was not an easy decision for me and for my family,” Forbes said. “I will be eternally grateful to President Dr. Brian Noland, the fans, and those student-athletes with whom I shared such special experiences. They have taught me so much and changed my life.”

Forbes was head coach at the junior college level for two years at Northwest Florida State, with his teams appearing in two national championship games. Forbes has also served as an assistant coach for Billy Gillespie at Texas A&M, Bruce Pearl at Tennessee and Gregg Marshall at Wichita State University.